XRP News Today: XRP Ledger EVM Sidechain Sees 1,400 Contracts Deployed in First Week

The XRP Ledger EVM Sidechain has made a significant impact in its first week of operation, with nearly 1,400 contracts deployed. This rapid adoption is driven by the sidechain's ability to bridge the high-speed, low-cost transaction capabilities of the XRP Ledger with the vast universe of Ethereum-compatible smart contracts and decentralized applications (dApps).

Technologist Paul Barron highlighted that the surge in smart contracts on the XRPL EVM Sidechain is due to the high demand from developers. The sidechain, built by Peersyst in collaboration with Ripple, is powered by the Tendermint consensus protocol and leverages the Cosmos SDK. This combination delivers scalability and interoperability that developers have long sought, making it an attractive option for building and deploying dApps.

The EVM compatibility of the sidechain allows Solidity developers to port or build dApps without needing to learn a new language or restructure code. This plug-and-play developer experience significantly lowers the barrier to entry, helping explain the rapid influx of contracts. Developers can now tap into XRPL’s native advantages, such as fast finality, low fees, and native DEX support, while still using popular Ethereum tools like MetaMask, Hardhat, and Remix.

Recent integrations with cross-chain bridges like Axelar and Wormhole have further supercharged the ecosystem by enabling seamless asset transfers and liquidity sharing between XRPL, Ethereum, and dozens of other blockchains. This multi-chain access has created immediate utility and cross-chain demand, bringing over $100 million in daily liquidity into play.

Another critical factor driving the demand for the XRPL EVM Sidechain is the growing institutional and enterprise interest in tokenization and real-world asset (RWA) deployment. For instance, Latin America’s top crypto exchange, Mercado Bitcoin, recently announced plans to tokenize $200 million in RWAs on the XRP Ledger, marking a major step in XRPL’s RWA adoption. With Ripple positioning XRPL as a global backbone for tokenized value, the EVM sidechain is poised to become a critical sandbox for programmable finance and on-chain utility.

The launch of the EVM sidechain comes at a time when developers are seeking alternatives to Ethereum’s high gas fees and network congestion. XRPL’s sidechain offers a cost-efficient, high-performance option without sacrificing EVM familiarity. Ripple CTO David Schwartz recently emphasized XRPL’s potential to become a vital bridge between traditional finance and decentralized finance (DeFi), uniting regulatory compliance with open blockchain infrastructure.

In just one week, the XRP Ledger EVM Sidechain has proven its potential to transform XRPL from a fast payments ledger to a full-fledged smart contract ecosystem. With more upgrades on the horizon, including native XRP interoperability and staking support, the EVM sidechain is quickly becoming the centerpiece of XRPL’s next growth chapter. This development is bullish for XRP’s price action as the $2.45 zone continues to be in sight.